Remote User Interfaces (RUI) are essentially user interfaces sent from a device to be controlled to a device intended to do the controlling for presentation on the intended controlling device as a graphical user interface. RUIs advantageously facilitate the implementation of user interfaces dynamically without having to pre-program the device intended to do the controlling with application graphics and input responses.
As understood herein, a larger rendering device such as a TV may be provided with an RUI from a server to allow a user of the TV to control the server using the remote commander of the TV to navigate and operate the RUI during a RUI “session”. The server may implement functions of a set top box, as but one example, and the RUI may accordingly be an electronic programming guide (EPG) that permits establishing, during the session, the channel being shown on the TV.
As further understood herein, a user might happen to possess a companion device such as a tablet computer, smart phone, and the like while watching TV during the server-TV TV RUI session, and that controlling the server using that companion device, which typically has more functionality than a TV RC, may be desirable while the RUI session is in force between the other two components, namely, TV and server. However, as further understood herein, simply presenting multiple RUIs on multiple devices without linking them to keep them reconciled with each other is less than desirable.